A framework for optimization in multi-channel multi-radio wireless mesh networks

• Published in: IET International Conference on Wireless Mobile and Multimedia Networks Proceedings (ICWMMN 2006) p. 89
• Main Authors: Wanli Dong, Naijie Gu, Kun Bi, Kun Tu, Xiaohu Liu
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Stevenage Inst. of Eng. and Technol 2006
• Subjects: Communication network design, planning and routing; Mobile radio systems; Optimisation techniques; multiple radios; mobile radio; telecommunication network planning; mobile client; channel capacity; reliability; telecommunication network topology; wireless router; multihop infrastructure wireless mesh networks; optimisation; telecommunication network routing; telecommunication network reliability; interference constraint; optimization framework; orthogonal channel capacity; network deployment planning
• ISBN: 0863416446; 9780863416446
• DOI: 10.1049/cp:20061254

Multi-hop infrastructure wireless mesh networks offer increased reliability, coverage and reduced equipment costs over their single-hop counterpart, wireless LANs. Equipping wireless routers with multiple radios further improves the capacity by transmitting over multiple radios simultaneously using orthogonal channels. However, due to the limited number of available orthogonal channels, interference is still a factor in such networks. In this paper, we propose a network model that captures the key practical aspects of such systems and characterize the constraints binding their behavior. We mathematically formulate the optimization framework, taking into account the interference constraints, the number of channels in the network and the number of radios available at each mesh router etc. We then use this framework to develop solutions for multiple objectives subject to different kind of fairness constraints on allocation of scarce wireless capacity among mobile clients. The methods proposed in this paper can be a valuable tool for network designers in planning network deployment and for optimizing different performance objectives. (4 pages)